Placental Growth Factor Promotes Atherosclerotic Intimal Thickening and Macrophage Accumulation

• DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.104.495887
• Publication Date: 2005-05-24T00:25:27Z
• Authors: Rohit Khurana; Lieve Moons; Shahida Shafi; Aernout Luttun; Désiré Collen; John F. Martin; Peter Carmeliet; Ian C. Zachary
• Keywords: Neointima; Apolipoprotein E; Pathogenesis

Background— Placental growth factor (PlGF) has been implicated in the pathophysiological angiogenesis and monocyte recruitment that underlie chronic inflammatory disease, but its role atherosclerosis not examined. We investigated effects of exogenous PlGF, delivered by adenoviral gene transfer, on atherogenic intimal thickening macrophage accumulation induced collar placement around rabbit carotid artery examined PlGF deficiency apolipoprotein E–deficient (apoE −/− ) mice. Methods Results— Periadventitial transfer PlGF2-encoding adenoviruses significantly increased thickening, accumulation, endothelial vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 expression, adventitial neovascularization collared arteries hypercholesterolemic rabbits intima-to-media ratio fed a normal diet. Neointimal macrophages were associated with expression receptor Flt-1. The size content early atherosclerotic lesions reduced mice deficient both apoE compared apoE-deficient Conclusions— Local PlGF2 delivery promotes neointima formation rabbits, is required for infiltration These findings support novel pathogenesis disease.